October
Other Jobs Around The Garden This October
Clean out water butts and let the autumn rains refill them. Install a new water butt ready for next year.
Create compost bins for collecting fallen leaves and dead plant material.
Reuse spent compost from annual container displays as a mulch on the garden.
This month, prune any tall hedging plants while they’re dormant.
Net ponds to prevent leaves falling into them. If you need to clear pond weed, lay it next to the pond for a day to allow to escape back to the water.
Use the last of the dry weather to paint sheds and fences with preservatives before the winter arrives.
Build a cold frame to protect young plants from extreme winter weather.
Invest in birds bath and bird feeders this autumn. Birds are a gardener’s friend and keep pests down.
Top Tip:
Collect leaves up for making leaf mould as a soil conditioner. Oak, alder and hornbeam will rot down in a year, but beech, sycamore, horse chestnut and sweet chestnut take a couple of year to compost.
This Month's Key Tips
- Clear up fallen autumn leaves on a regular basis.
- Cut back perennials that have died down.
- Harvest fruit trees - apples and pears.
- Mive tender plants into the greenhouse for winter.
- Renovate old lawns or create new grass areas by laying turf.
